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Het Schip (The Ship)

Het Schip housing complex is a world-famous example of the Amsterdam School. Characteristic of this Dutch architectural style from the beginning of the 20th century is the sculptural use of brick combined with embellishments such as sculpture and wrought ironwork (Gesamtkunstwerk). Furthermore, the often expressive façades are fitted with ladder windows. According to the architect, nothing was beautiful enough for the worker who had lived so long without beauty.

Carrier-pigeon grey

Michel de Klerk liked to refer to the function of a building. Thus the interior walls of the former post office building are carrier-pigeon grey. The sculpture outside near the windows, a post horn and a lightning bolt symbolize the postal services.

Corner of Spaarndammerplantsoen, 2005

Tower

What is unique on the side of Hembrugstraat is the elegant tower, covered entirely with roof tiles. Striking on the Zaanstraat side are the torpedo-shaped corner bay windows, where windows have even been installed at the bottom. The ceiling inside is arched and may well have been inspired by the shape of a mail coach’s hood.

The tower of "het Schip" seen from the Zaanhof entryway, 1982

Harbour workers

Het Schip forms part of the Spaarndammerbuurt (neighbourhood), which used to be an area for harbour workers. The houses in such areas were often of poor quality.

View of the formers post office, now Museum het Schip, 2007

Woningwet (Dutch Housing Act)

Since the Woningwet of 1901, this began to change and terraced houses alternate with squares and public gardens. The houses on Spaarndammerplantsoen (street) from 1913 and 1918, also designed by De Klerk, are a good example of this.Nowadays the former post office, which was also designed by Michel de Klerk, is a museum. The old phone booth and the row of counters are still intact. In the museum you will find information on the Amsterdam School (the architectural style), and a variety of tours start here. Opposite the museum in the garden of the lunch room you can admire the street furniture, which is in the style of the Amsterdam School and which includes lampposts and electricity boxes.